Self contained dispensing box



E. s. TRANGAS SELF CONTAINED DISPENSING BOX Filed July 6-, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 1,

Inventor 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W W W E. S. TRANGAS SELF CONTAINED DISPENSINGBOX Filed July 6, .1935

Patented Mar. 31, 1936 i N 5 TE D STATES PATENT OFF'IQE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and boxes and has more specificreference to' a match box of the relatively large household or kitchensize such as includes a slidable tray or receptacle and 5 an open endedcasing therefor, the improvement having to do w th a self containeddispensing means.

Supplementary to the preceding preliminary statement and to aid in morespecifically classi 10 fying the special developments, I would statethat it is primarily my aim to generally improve upon dispensing matchboxes of this general character by providing one wherein thedetailsforming the dispensing means are designedly dif- 15 ferent and patternedalong original lines calculated to permit the structure, when set up foruse, to be more expeditiously and satisfactorily employed to accomplishreliable and pleasing results.

20 The special adaptation selected to fulfill these requirements had itsorigin in. a desire to perfeet a structure to outclass and transcend inimportance and refinement structurally similar prior art dispensers andfrom an explicit struc- 25 tural viewpoint it is thought that thisobjective has been attained in that the arrangement is such that theaction is obedient to the demands of the. user in order that no specialtrick of manipulation is required for the execution of reliable andintermittent ejection results even to the very last match.

A feature of construction is predicated upon the use of an outbenthingedly mounted ledge which performs as a miniature shelf to aidextracting 35 a single match and which has associated. with the endportions thereof complemental bendable tabs satisfactorily usable toslightly obstruct free how of the discharging matches so as to retardthe action sufficiently for adequate manual regu- 40 lation and control.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom thefollowing description and the accompanying demonstratingdrawings.

45 In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designateduplicate or like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a perspective illustration of a conventional match boxmodified in accordance with so the principles of the present inventionto permit it to be used for dispensing purposes by the purchaser.

Figure 2 is a vertical isometric view detailing the suspension or hangermeans to support the 55 box in useful position.

Figure 3- is an additional perspective showing looking at the obverse orfront dispensing face or side of the box when set up for dispensing use.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the box suspended in placeand disclosing how 5 the matches may be fed out for use.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the lower dispens'ngportion of the structure.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view; in perspective, disclosing the fingernotch. 10

By way of introduction to the detailed description,. it is to be pointedout that one of the outstanding objects of the invention is to perfect astructure which will be unqualifiedly endorsed by the manufacturer dueto the simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, quantityoutput and assurance of success to the purchaser. Under thec'rcumstances, I have found it expedient and practicable to incorporatethe invention. in a so-called conventional or standard match box of therelatively large type most frequently used for household purposes. Theopen ended shell or casing, which is. of general rec tangular form, isdenoted by the numeral 1 andis of ordinary cardboard construction. Theslide or tray is indicated at 8 and the matches are distinguished by thenumeral 9. One end of the tray 8 is formed with a notch I0. This iscentrally located and the open end thereof opens through the adjacentedge, that is. the edge of the 0 tray-end directly in slidable contactwith the front wall I I of the box or casing proper; Manifestly', thepurpose of this notch is to permit the finger to be inserted as shown inFigure 4 to allow the matches to be manipulated and fed out one at atime.

The front wall I I is formed adjacent the finger notch with a fold lineI2. Located in spaced parallelism to this is a score line I-3 whichextends completely across the transverse dimension of 40 the wall III.Extending obliquely from the ends of the fold line I2 and matching andmerging into the adjacent ends of the score line I3 are the secondaryscore lines I4. These have companion association with relatively shortadditional score lines l5, the lines I5 being in alignment with the foldline I2 whereby to define three distinct areas; namely a panel I6 and apair of duplicate end segments IT.

The numeral I8 in Figure 2 merely designates 5 a reinforced opening inthe back wall I9 which serves as convenient means to permit thestructure to be hung on a nail or the like 20 as shown in Figure 4.

Now, then, with this arrangement the purchaser buys the box in the formillustrated in Figure 1. In converting it into a household dispensingunit all that is necessary is to take a sharp instrument or knife andslit the wall ll along the lines l3. I4 and I5. This then defines fourdistinct features. First it defines a discharge slot 2| through whichthe matches may be dispensed one by one or however desired. Secondly, itdefines a bendable flap or flange 16. That is, the panel It now becomesa flange and is in eifect a miniature ledge or shelf. As a matter offact, in addition to functioning as a shelf it also might be describedas a closing valve since it has hinged connection along the line I2 andcan be either swung out to the useful position illustrated in Figures 3and 4 or closed up. The triangular segments i? are foldable outwardly soas to become end tabs. The tabs are independently bendable either in orout so that they may possess the desired diversified actions. That is tosay, the tabs can be either swung in over the pointed ends 22 of theledge to aid in holding the ledge in a substantially horizontal plane inwhich position they serve as stop elements, or the tabs can be foldedslightly inwardly into converging relationship with respect to eachother to serve as check fingers. The check fingers tend to slightlyobstruct the free outward ejection of each match so that it is retardedsufliciently to prevent it from being pushed out to drop on the floor.In other Words, this particular appointment of the tabs enables them tocreate a slight drag on the ends of the matches as they are forced outone by one and in fact aid in making this individual and intermittentdispensing action more practicable and possible.

Whereas the partitive companion shape of the tabs and ledge are notessentially as shown it is evident that the employment of triangulartabs I! with pointed end means on the shelf or ledge is not only aunique arrangement but an assembly which is feasible to accomplish theuser controlled dispensing action. Of most importance however is thefact that this is such an arrangement as will appeal to the manufacturerand. thereby make more certain the adoption and use of the invention tothe ultimate success and advantage of all mutually concerned.

Manifestly, these features have been carefully selected and coordinatedto insure a proper mode of ejection and satisfactory results.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming withinthe field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, ifdesired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a structural assemblage of the class described, an open endedcasing, a match filled tray slidable in said casing, one end of the traybeing provided with a centrally disposed finger notch, said finger notchopening through the adjacent edge of said one end, one wall of saidcasing being formed adjacent said finger notch with a match dischargeslot having an outstanding ledge forming flange, and a hingedly attachedretention and check means at the opposite ends of said flange,

2. As a new article of manufacture and a component part of a dispensingmatch box assembly of the class described, an open ended shell-likecasing formed adjacent one end and in one side with a fold lineterminating short of the adjacent longitudinal edges with extensionscore lines in alignment with said fold line and extending clear to saidlongitudinal edges, a spaced parallel score line defining between itselfand said fold line a panel, and additional obliquely disposed scorelines joining the extreme ends of said second named score line andjoining at their opposite ends the ends of said fold line to definesubstantially triangular sectors.

3. A dispensing match box of the class described comprising an openended casing, a match tray slidable in said casing, said match trayhaving one end formed with a centrally located finger notch permittingaccess to be had to the interior of the tray to facilitate dischargingthe matches, the front wall of the casing adjacent said finger notchbeing provided with a horizontally disposed transversely elongateddischarge opening, an outstanding ledge forming flange hingedly mountedon the casing at the lower edge of the discharge opening of the casing,the ends of said flange being obliquely out, and a pair of companionhingedly attached tabs on the sides of the ledge flange and normallydisposed at right angles thereto to extend into the discharge opening.

4. A dispensing match box of the class described comprising an openended casing, a match tray slidable in said casing, said match trayhaving one end formed with a centrally located finger notch permittingaccess to be had to the interior of the tray to facilitate dischargingthe matches, the front wall of the casing adjacent said finger notchbeing provided with a horizontally disposed transversely elongateddischarge opening, an outstanding ledge forming flange hingedly mountedon the casing at the outer edge of the discharge opening of the casing,the ends of said flange being obliquely cut, a pair of companionhingedly attached tabs on the sides of the ledge flange andsubstantially at right angles thereto and extending into the dischargeopening, said tabs being selectively engageable with the'extreme ends ofsaid flange to serve as retention elements, or being swingable inwardlytowards each other into converging relationship to function as matchretarding and check elements.

ERNEST S. TRANGAS.

